Apparatus for manufacturing chains.



No; sss,|s7. Patented Oct. 3|, I899.

A. MASIUN & .1. DETHIER.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CHAINS.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

THEI llrraklvtya.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

ALFRED MASION, OF BRUSSELS, AND JACQUES DETHIER, OF DAMPREMY, BEL- GIUM; SAID DETHIER ASSIGNOR TO EMILE GOBBE, OF JUMET, BELGIUM.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CHAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,157, dated October 31, 1899. Application filed February 21,1899. Serial No. 706,369. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED MASION, engineer, residing at Brussels, and J ACQUES DETHIER, engineer, residing at Dampremy, Belgium, subjects of the King of Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chains, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of weldless chains by rolling up or winding a metal wire through a link already formed. By a series of convolutions a new link is obtained, which passes through the last one formed, and so the chain is gradually built up without welding, though the convolutions of each link may be soldered, if desired.

The accompanying drawings illustrate apparatus according to thisinvention for forming chains with elliptical links from wire.

Figure 1 is a front section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side section of the same, the link in process of formation being shown with its minor axis in a vertical position. Fig. 3 is a similar section with the major axis of the link in a vertical position; and Figs. 4 and 5 show one of the parts A and B, hereinafter referred to.

The apparatus is composed of a rolling ring or roller A B, made in two parts, which can be separated from each other to liberate the link rolled up or wound upon the said ring or roller. Each of the parts A and B is furnished with an opening for the previouslyformed link 0 and with a central groove in which this link 0 is seated during the revolution of the ring or roller. The two parts A and B of the saidring and roller are situated between guide-cylinders the flanges of which maintain the two parts in position against each other. Pins g serve for centering the said two parts A and B. By imparting rotary motion to the said guide-cylinders D D E they actuate the winding ring or roller A B. Contact or friction gearing may be provided as required. The end of the wire H is gripped between the two parts of the ring orroller and is wound or rolled up in the elliptical groove thereof, while the circular outer surface of this said ring or roller remains in permanent contact with the guide-cylinders D D E, the grooves in which are semicircular in order to guide the wire and to cause the link so wound to assume the requisite shape.

When the rolled-up wire completely fills the grooves of the ring or roller A B and the guide-cylinders D D E, the winding operation is stopped, the wire is cut, and the cylinder E is raised (its shaft being arranged for this) and the rolling-ring is released, and the link can then be withdrawn.

By modifying the grooves in the ring or roller circular links may be formed instead of the elliptical ones described. This apparatus allows of links being formed directly of an elliptical shape in the first instance, thus dispensing with the usual operation of rendering oval links first formed in a true circle. Not only is economy of labor secured by this arrangement, but the serious drawback of permanent deformation in a link which has been rendered oval after the completion of the winding is avoided, and the direct operation secures without difficulty a perfect gage.

The use of Wire in forming the links, another characteristic of this invention, enables these links to be formed without heating, or if heat be employed at a sufficiently moderate temperature to prevent the oxidizing action of the air, which only takes place at welding heat. By this separation of the operations of winding and heating the latter may be carried out under the most favorable conditions either by an electric current or by heating the links in a refractory tube raised to a white heat and through which a reducing-gas is caused to flow to prevent oxidation. The heating can then be followed by the necessary compressing operation in a matrix or otherwise to secure perfect homogeneity through the section of the link.

The welding or soldering heat may be limited to the outer convolutions, so that the inner convolutions of the links are not welded or soldered together. Chains would thus be formed having links of a non-homogeneous section of greater strength due to their special formation, while in other respects similar to ordinary chains. If the convolutions be left unprotected, the chains produced have the advantages of a chain and a cable-that is to say, great strength, lightness, and flexibility. In order to secure the several convolutions or windings in a link, any suitable metal more fusible than the metal of the links may be used, so as to unite the superposed windings, while maintaining their molecular separation. For example, a steel wire may be passed into a molten bath prior to winding the wire to form the links, the winding or rolling apparatus being placed sufficiently near to the bath to prevent the zinc becoming solidified before the said winding or rolling takes place, or the bare wire may be first rolled up into the form of links and the chain produced be immersed in a zinc-bath and allowed to remain therein sufficiently long to enable the zinc to penetrate all the spaces between the wires. Instead of molten zinc other suitable material may be usedfor instance, plumbers solder or a vitrifiable mixture such as is used for enameling metalsor the wire may have applied to it a soldering-paste or the cable-chain be immersed in a bath containingasoldering material and then be heated to a soldering heat. This method of soldering is not of course so strong as welding by fire or hammer or compression; but it will be sufficient for retaining the wires in position and for giving the strength for traction or for other purposes.

It is preferable for facilitating the soldering operation to pickle the wire, before the winding or rolling takes place, by passing it through an acid-bath, for example.

The end of the wire to be rolled up or wound is gripped in any suitable manner to secure its engagement by the rotation of the winding-roller. A suitable tension is given to the wire, and means are provided for properly guiding it into the grooveof the said roller.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what We claim is- The herein-described apparatus for the manufacture of chains by winding up of a metallic wire, said apparatus comprising a rolling ring or rollerin two parts with an opening for the reception of a previously-formed link, in combination with three tangential cylinders supporting and rotating the said roller, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED MASION. JACQUES DETHIER.

Witnesses GUSTAVE PIERRU, E. NUYB. 

